20 Best Slow Jams From The 90s To Get You In The Mood For Easy-Breezy Lovemaking

No decade quite defined the slow jam like the 90s with their sultry tones, smooth harmonies, and bold declarations layered over solid beats, perfect for setting the mood.

I compiled a list of 20 vintage love songs to get you in the mood for when you want to slow it down and warm it up for an evening in. Here they are in no particular order because, really, who could pick a favorite?

1. “Next Lifetime” by Erykah Badu

Badu’s ballad about lust and longing is one for the ages, and despite the theme, when accompanied with some incense and candles, it works just fine in the here and now.

2. “I’d Die Without You” by PM Dawn

Part of the soundtrack to Eddie Murphy’s sexy adult comedy Boomerang, this track has endured the test of time with covers from Childish Gambino and Alicia Keys.

No 90s slow jams list would be complete without this group from Philly, who ruled the charts with their tight harmonies and solid grooves.

4. “Red Light Special” by TLC

Girl groups really hit their stride in the mid-90s and, lucky for us, TLC decided to get steamy on their iconic album CrazySexyCool.

5. “Rush Rush” by Paula Abdul

Sure, it’s a hot track with Abdul’s breathy vocals, but young Keanu playing a vintage bad boy in this video is also a throwback treat.

6. “You’re Makin’ Me High” by Toni Braxton

Armed with a new look and an all-star cast for the video, this was the single that turned Tamar’s big sis from a coy, romantic balladeer into a seductive siren.

7. “Weak” by SWV

Don’t even claim you’re a fan of 90s music if you don’t know what “SWV” stands for.

8. “I’m Goin' Down” by Mary J. Blige

Nobody makes heartache sound better than Mary J, and this track is no exception.

9. “Brown Sugar” by D’Angelo

You’re just not gonna go wrong with D’Angelo on your list. Start here and work toward “Untitled.” And be sure you’re sitting down because this is one of those songs that works its magic quickly.

10. “Nice & Slow” by Usher

Usher showed us he wasn’t here to play around right out of the gate when the then-19-year-old dropped this number one track on us and destroyed panties everywhere.

11. "Freek’N You" by Jodeci

What Jodeci lacked in subtlety, they made up for in style. While the lyrics might ordinarily be so ridiculously to-the-point, the smoothness of this crew made this heavy-handed seduction sound gooooood.

12. “Anytime, Anyplace” by Janet Jackson

After showing us she was in “Control” in the 80s, Janet softened up and turned it out in the 90s with sexy grooves like this one that had us all calling her “Miss Jackson.” Also, shout out to that old school man bun!

13. "I Wanna Be Down" by Brandy

Brandy was arguably the coolest teen of the mid-90s but this cool track proved she wasn’t about to be just another teenybopper one-hit-wonder. (Plus, say what you will about “The Rachel,” but those chin-length box braids are iconic, classic 1994.)

14. “My Little Secret” by Xscape

This song about enjoying the act of seducing a man away from his girlfriend is morally questionable... and f*cking hot. These gals pair playful lyrics with flawless harmonies and maybe the best eye makeup of the whole decade in this track.

15. “What’s it Gonna Be” by Busta Rhymes ft. Janet Jackson

First of all, if I could’ve made this whole list just Janet songs, I would’ve, but this collaboration with rapper extraordinaire Busta Rhymes made for a fascinating track that juxtaposed a slow groove with his rapid fire lyrics.

I’m only including this because it’s canon, but it’s become so parodied since its release in 1994. Still, though, at the time, this was THEjam to ask that cute girl to dance to at your local teen club.

17. "Don’t Let Go" by En Vogue

Nobody decent dislikes En Vogue. It’s cognitively impossible. This song was featured on the soundtrack for the female-driven, which, like this band, was powerful and damn sexy.

18. "So Anxious" by Ginuwine

Sure, everyone’s heard “Pony,” but Ginuwine slowed it down with this track to describe the intricacies of fulfilling sexual desire.

19. “One in a Million” by Aaliyah

This song is iconic Aaliyah, with her laid-back sex appeal and smooth-as-hell feminine vocals.

20. “Nobody” by Keith Sweat

Approximately half of the people turning 21 this year exist solely because of this song.

Liz Pardue-Schultz is a writer and activist based in North Carolina, where she overshares her bizarre journey through mental illness, recovery, parenting, and surviving Southern suburbia on her blog or anywhere she can get published. Her words have appeared in Huffington Post, Time.com, XOJane, Ravishly, ThoughtCatalog, and one time in the Letters to the Editor section of Playboy.